On January 29, the Syrian government announced a comprehensive agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) This represents a major blow to the autonomy the Kurds had maintained in the east of the country with US support, under the guise of the war against the Islamic State. Rohilat Afrin, commander of the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) and a member of the Syrian Democratic Forces' general command, describes a negotiation process marked by tension, mistrust, and pressure on the ground.

Kobani, the Kurdish city that in 2014 became a global symbol of resistance against the Islamic State, is now experiencing another tragedy: daily survival under siege and extreme cold. Its population has been cut off from the world for six days. Surrounded by Turkey to the north and by Syrian government forces to the south, east, and west, the city has no water or electricity because the dam that supplies it is under the control of the Damascus government. Hospitals are on the verge of collapse, and schools and city squares have been converted into makeshift shelters. Half a million civilians are at risk of dying from hunger, disease, or cold if nothing is done.